UK surname
An occupational surname derived from the Old English "pica" meaning "pick" or "pickaxe".
In the 1881 census there were 125 people recorded with the Pickman surname, ranking it #17,335 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 66, ranked #33,948, down from #17,335 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Netswell, Upton with Chalvey and Paddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pickman is 147 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 47.2%.
1881 census count
125
Ranked #17,335
Modern count
66
2016, ranked #33,948
Peak year
1851
147 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Pickman surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Pickman surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 147 | #13,084 |
| 1861 | historical | 137 | #16,465 |
| 1881 | historical | 125 | #17,335 |
| 1891 | historical | 137 | #19,501 |
| 1901 | historical | 147 | #18,270 |
| 1911 | historical | 131 | #19,404 |
| 1997 | modern | 81 | #29,436 |
| 1998 | modern | 75 | #30,471 |
| 1999 | modern | 75 | #30,661 |
| 2000 | modern | 71 | #31,082 |
| 2001 | modern | 68 | #31,195 |
| 2002 | modern | 76 | #30,830 |
| 2003 | modern | 68 | #31,689 |
| 2004 | modern | 67 | #31,976 |
| 2005 | modern | 64 | #32,482 |
| 2006 | modern | 63 | #32,943 |
| 2007 | modern | 64 | #33,145 |
| 2008 | modern | 69 | #32,962 |
| 2009 | modern | 71 | #33,102 |
| 2010 | modern | 74 | #33,167 |
| 2011 | modern | 68 | #33,613 |
| 2012 | modern | 66 | #33,901 |
| 2013 | modern | 71 | #33,693 |
| 2014 | modern | 70 | #33,782 |
| 2015 | modern | 69 | #33,788 |
| 2016 | modern | 66 | #33,948 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Netswell, Upton with Chalvey, Paddington, Manchester and Llanfihangel Llantarnam. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netswell | Essex |
| 2 | Upton with Chalvey | Buckinghamshire |
| 3 | Paddington | London (West Districts) |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Llanfihangel Llantarnam | Monmouthshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Pickman surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pickman, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Pickman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Pickman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Pickman is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pickman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Pickman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Pickman is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "pic" meaning "pitch" and "man" referring to an occupation, likely someone who worked with pitch or tar. The name may have been given to a person involved in the production or use of pitch, such as a roofer or shipbuilder.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pickman can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a Richard Pikeman is mentioned. This suggests the name was already in use by the late 12th century in that region of England. Variations in spelling included Pikeman, Pykeman, and Pykman.
In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a record of a William Pykeman from Oxfordshire, indicating the name had spread to other parts of England by that time. The Pickman surname is also found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327 for Staffordshire, suggesting its presence in the West Midlands region.
During the 14th century, the Pickman name appears to have been particularly concentrated in the counties of Somerset and Dorset, with records showing individuals such as John Pykman (c. 1320) and Walter Pykman (c. 1370) residing in those areas.
One notable figure bearing the Pickman surname was Sir Robert Pickman (c. 1450-1525), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset. He served as Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset in 1498 and was knighted for his services to the Crown.
Another individual of note was Thomas Pickman (c. 1580-1638), a Puritan minister from Essex who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1637. He was among the founders of the town of Ipswich, Massachusetts, and served as the first minister of the Ipswich church.
In the 17th century, the Pickman surname can be found in various parish records across southern England, including entries for William Pickman (baptized 1624, Wiltshire), John Pickman (married 1652, Dorset), and Richard Pickman (buried 1679, Somerset).
As the name spread further afield, it was sometimes associated with place names, such as the village of Pickmansworth in Hertfordshire, which may have influenced some variations in spelling over time.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pickman surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 19 Pickmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.55x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 19 | 1.55x |
| Warwickshire | 19 | 6.13x |
| Lancashire | 17 | 1.17x |
| Essex | 14 | 5.77x |
| Staffordshire | 13 | 3.13x |
| Surrey | 8 | 1.34x |
| Cambridgeshire | 7 | 8.99x |
| Buckinghamshire | 6 | 8.08x |
| Monmouthshire | 6 | 6.75x |
| Berkshire | 3 | 3.25x |
| Kent | 3 | 0.72x |
| Midlothian | 3 | 1.82x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.39x |
| Dunbartonshire | 1 | 3.03x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.40x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.60x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 6.83x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.51x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.48x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.08x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 19 Pickmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.26x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Aston | 19 | 22.26x |
| Salford | 12 | 27.98x |
| Harborne | 7 | 52.63x |
| Islington London | 7 | 5.88x |
| Croydon | 6 | 18.05x |
| Datchet | 6 | 1176.47x |
| Handsworth | 6 | 58.65x |
| Llanvihangel Llantarnam | 6 | 355.03x |
| St Andrewthe Less | 6 | 67.49x |
| Hammersmith London | 5 | 16.51x |
| Broughton In Salford | 4 | 30.01x |
| Clewer | 3 | 79.37x |
| Heybridge | 3 | 422.54x |
| Mile End Old Town | 3 | 15.46x |
| Southminster | 3 | 566.04x |
| Wanstead | 3 | 70.59x |
| Chelsea London | 2 | 5.40x |
| Deptford St Paul | 2 | 6.18x |
| Ratho | 2 | 259.74x |
| Theydon Garnon | 2 | 363.64x |
| Thursley | 2 | 465.12x |
| Arnold | 1 | 41.32x |
| Bath St James | 1 | 48.54x |
| Brightlingsea | 1 | 71.94x |
| Cheetham | 1 | 9.19x |
| Harlow | 1 | 95.24x |
| Kirkintilloch | 1 | 22.27x |
| Langfield | 1 | 46.95x |
| Leyton | 1 | 23.92x |
| North Leith | 1 | 13.12x |
| Pulborough | 1 | 131.58x |
| Sandwich St Clement | 1 | 285.71x |
| Shoreditch London | 1 | 1.88x |
| St Benedict Cambridge | 1 | 227.27x |
| St Luke London | 1 | 5.07x |
| St Thomas Winchester | 1 | 56.18x |
| Stoke Damerel | 1 | 5.59x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Pickman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 7 |
| Sarah | 5 |
| Ann | 4 |
| Emily | 4 |
| Eliza | 3 |
| Elizabeth | 3 |
| Fanny | 3 |
| Ada | 2 |
| Agnes | 2 |
| Alice | 2 |
| Annie | 2 |
| Florence | 2 |
| Louisa | 2 |
| A.E. | 1 |
| Amy | 1 |
| Anna | 1 |
| Anne | 1 |
| Bessie | 1 |
| Catherine | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Clara | 1 |
| Daisy | 1 |
| Eleanor | 1 |
| Gertrude | 1 |
| Harriet | 1 |
| Isabella | 1 |
| Jane | 1 |
| Jemima | 1 |
| Lillie | 1 |
| Lily | 1 |
| Lizzie | 1 |
| Medina | 1 |
| Mercy | 1 |
| Nellie | 1 |
| Sophia | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Pickman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Pickman households.
FAQ
In 1881, 125 people were recorded with the Pickman surname. That placed it at #17,335 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 66 in 2016. That gives Pickman a modern rank of #33,948.
An occupational surname derived from the Old English "pica" meaning "pick" or "pickaxe".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Pickman bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.